DETAILS

Title: Sword & Sorcery

Categories:

Fantasy

Speculative Fiction

Location: Robert E. Howard's Conan The Barbarian Series (Conan Is Perennial Favourite Of S&S Writers; Most Recently The Character Has Been Revived And Dispatched Onto New Adventures By Robert Jordan) Fritz Leiber, Fafhrd And The Grey Mouser Seque

Pagination: 0

Illustrations: - a strong, physical hero - wicked magic-wielding opponents - adventure, quest elements

Document Type: Graffiti

Notes:

Sword and Sorcery stories are perhaps the most formulaic in the fantasy genre, with direct roots in early chapbooks, themselves based on folk and fairy tales. The genre swelled and gained notoreity through pulp magazines and adventure serials. In typical Sword and Sorcery, large, muscular heroes, either alone or in bands, use their strength against the villains' supernatural powers to obtain the object of their quest or to rescue damsels in distress. Traditionally, these tales are very gender polarized, although they have recently shown greater diversity and role reversals. Without fail, the hero and his trusty sword triumph, based on physical prowess, will, and fortune. As well, sword and sorcery encompasses the basic elements of the quest, the battle between good and evil, coming of age themes, and oblique treachery. World-building, introspection, and deep character exploration are not of great priority. With its strong adventure basis, Sword and Sorcery provides a base for role-playing games, whether they are board games, card games, video games, or online chat-based games. As well, plots of this type have been extensively mined for film and television, and adapted for all ages. However, with its brutal violence and often sadistic magics, Sword and Sorcery is often darker in tone than heroic and epic fantasies. See also: Quest